Hout Bay Montessori Blog

We are very excited to share our experience of running a six week enrichment program for childminders from May to June this year.

After a very successful enrichment program last year, we had a wonderful response and a very enthusiastic group to work with.

Phindi and Lundi facilitated a series of six valuable and informative interactive learning sessions at Hout Bay Montessori with childminders and teaching assistants from the Hout Bay area. The sessions were a huge success, with an opportunity for shared learning, lots of active participation and loads of fun.

Phindi and Lundi shared their experience of studying Montessori and teaching at Hout Bay Montessori.

The content of the six sessions were based on the First Children program of Auburn House Trust. Some of the broader topics covered included understanding the child and understanding the role of adults as teachers and role models, respect, independence, order and freedom from a Montessori perspective.

There was also an opportunity to share experience and learn more about the approach and the child’s environment at school and in the home. We spend time walking around the Montessori classroom and observing ‘the prepared environment’. Participants had the opportunity to observe Phindi and Lundi demonstrating some of the Montessori activities that the children do in the day and think about what would be useful and fun to reinforce for children at home.

It was a wonderful group of ladies, who became very close after six weeks of being together and shared amazing feedback of their experiences and learning. We felt the objectives had been achieved with participants gaining some practical Montessori tools that can be applied to engaging and stimulating and enjoying life, learning and play with children at home. There was also a focus on the Montessori way when it comes to listening to, collaborating with and enabling children to be their beautiful evolving selves.

Nicky Bush

Feedback from Participants:

WOW!! What a beautiful time I had here at Montessori. I have really learnt a lot…About Freedom, Peace, Order and Respect…The child that I look after now knows how to pack away her toys after use…She shows how to dress herself and even to play nicely with the other kids…Montessori ways work like MAGIC…THANK YOU!!!

I enjoyed learning a lot at Montessori School because I work at a school which is very different from Montessori School. Everything is in order and the kids know how to be independent, even how to work with their classroom materials. What is so important to me is that what I learned at this course, I can go and do it with my kids at my school even my own child at home. Thank you for everything, your time and effort!!

Being at Montessori course helped me in so many ways. I learned a lot about being independent, respect for each other and kids. Thanks a lot.

I am so glad to be in this course for the past six weeks. I have learnt a lot as a childminder. It is so amazing I have learnt about independence and order to teach the child to be independent and to respect the kids. We must understand the kids as much as we understand ourselves. You must know how to speak to kids and give the kids time not to rush the kids, you must be patient with the kids. Do not do everything for kids, teach kids to do things for themselves (to be independent). Thank you so much!

It was to say thank you very much for doing this course because I have learned a lot. Respect for kids, listen to them, and be calm when you are speaking to them. Don’t compare them. You must teach them to do their own things like pick up their stuffed toys etc. Don’t rush them, be calm so I just wait to say thank you so much for the staff of Montessori, I learn a lot.

WOOW, what an amazing time I had during my six weeks discussions at HBM. I have learnt a lot from these amazing teachers. I have learnt that respect is very important in a child’s like and order is very very important. It is a necessity for the child to develop physically, emotionally and intellectually. Thank you for such an amazing time we had together.

The Absorbent mind is the sponge-like capacity of a child’s mind, absorbing from their environment, as well as the language in which they are surrounded. The absorbent mind period is where learning is effortless, and the child starts forming their personality around this. This period is from birth to six years old, the time in which your child is in preschool. In preschool the prepared environment is set out for the child for him to absorb all the richness around him and learn from it.​​The unconscious absorbent mind is from birth to three years of age where the child is absorbing everything and anything around him unconsciously. Some of the activities in which they are learning in this period is to sit, crawl, use their hands, speak etc. the children mimic what they see, hence the adult being the biggest role model during this phase. Role modelling every act, for the child to see what the appropriate behaviour is.

The conscious absorbent mind is from three to six years of age, here the children are still sponge-like, however they are seeking experiences. Children in this phase have a desire to make choices on their own as well as completing tasks independently. Giving the child a task to complete successfully, in order to do so, making sure the child will be successful within this task. Packing their school bag in the morning, however making sure they have enough time in order to do so.

These phases of the absorbent mind are in all children in the preschool phase, the prepared environment as well as the spiritual preparation of the teachers plays a big role in each child becoming the best they can be.

“The child has a mind able to absorb knowledge. He has the power to teach himself” - Maria Montessori

At school, the children are independent little humans, each carrying their own bags, washing their dishes, preparing snacks for their friends as well as helping their friends when needed. Watching a four year old helping a three year old with their buckle shoes is something too precious for words.

How are parents able to help their children become more independent at home is often a question we get asked as teachers. This means that they can do everything they do at school at home too. A big statement we live by is “help me to help myself”.

This applies where the child is capable, however they just need the time to be able to finish the task at hand. Giving your child ample amounts of time to complete their task is key as they work slower than adults — they have only beendoing this for 3 years!

The prepared environment can happen at home too: organising your child’s play area around them, giving your child space in the kitchen for their own plates and cups, and having a working area for them to help prepare their meals. Encouraging children to pack away after themselves, only taking one activity out at a time and packing it away before taking the next one out. On that note they would need a shelf their height for their activities to live.

Remember to teach things step by step and to give your child the ability to learn it over some time — they didn’t learn to prepare their friend’s snacks in one day. We want the children to be successful and in order for this to happen, we need to set them up for success by supplying them with the foundations.

​Lastly, keep in mind that when learning happens, so does mess! Things are going to break, spills are going to happen but this is all a part of the process. We learn to clean the spills and to move on — these are accidents which lead to a new learning curve.

We love independence and as Maria Montessori said, “Help me to do it alone.”

We are very excited to share our experience of running a six week enrichment program for childminders over August and September 2017. After almost a year of preparation, brainstorming ideas and learning from other workshops, Phindi and Lundi facilitated a series of six valuable and informative interactive learning sessions at Hout Bay Montessori with childminders and teaching assistants from the Hout Bay area. The sessions were a huge success, with an opportunity for shared learning, lots of activeparticipation and loads of fun. Phindi and Lundi shared their experience of studying Montessori and teaching at Hout Bay Montessori.

The content of the six sessions were based on the First Children program of Auburn House Trust. Some of the broader topics covered included understanding the child and understanding the role of adults as teachers and role models, respect, independence, order and freedom from a Montessori perspective.

There was also an opportunity to share, experience and learn more about the approach and the child’s environment at school and in the home. We spend time walking around the Montessori classroom and observing ‘the prepared environment’. Participants had the opportunity to observe Phindi and Lundi demonstrating some of the Montessori activities that the children do in the day and think about what would be useful and fun to reinforce for children at home. It was a wonderful group of ladies, who became very close after six weeks of being together and shared amazing feedback of their experiences and learning.

We felt the objectives had been achieved with participants gaining some practical Montessori tools that can be applied to engaging and stimulating and enjoying life, learning and play with children at home. There was also a focus on the Montessori way when it comes to listening to, collaborating with and enabling children to be their beautiful evolving selves.​ - Nicky Bush

Why should you consider placing your toddler in a Montessori Nursery classroom? What will your toddler be learning at that age? What are the benefits? Here's a look at how starting your child in a Montessori Nursery class can benefit his/her learning experience later on in life.

"The studies which have been made of early infancy leave no room for doubt: the first two years are important for ever, because in that period, one passes from being nothing into being something." - Maria Montessori

From the age of 0 - 3 years, a child learns learns through doing and through observing - their "absorbent mind" allows for experiences to form part of his/her entire being, not just in memory. It is an effortless learning that should be unitlised and nourished from this young age.

Starting your child in a Montessori Nursery classroom at the age of 18 months will allow for important foundations to be laid for later learning. A Montessori Nursery classroom offers a safe and age-appropriate environment for your young child to explore freely. There is a misconception that Montessori classrooms lack boundaries, however it is the presence of boundaries that allows for a free and safe environment, which in turn aids a child's independence and self-confidence.

Age-specific activities are laid on shelves and shown to children individually when they are able to master the skill/activity. The role of the adult in this environment is to guide the child to what they can master while supporting their natural learning capabilities and interests.

All of the above form an invaluable foundation for any child to grow from when entering a pre-school environment. It gives the child an opportunity to learn through play, exploration, socialising, and curiosity - it gives the child the freedom to learn naturally and happily, building on skills which will be used as he/she enters pre-school.

"It begins with a knowledge of his surroundings. How does the child assimilate his environment? He does it solely in virtue of one of those characteristics that we now know him to have. This is an intense and specialized sensitiveness in consequence of which the things about him awaken so much interest and so much enthusiasm that they become incorporated in his very existence . The child absorbs these impressions not with his mind but with his life itself." - Maria Montessori

What makes for an authentic Montessori school environment? What are the foundations of an authentic Montessori school? Here's a look at various aspects of a true Montessori environment and the ethos behind them.

What is Montessori Education?

To quote The South African Montessori Association, "Montessori is an international philosophy of education based on scientific observation of how the child learns. The approach is child-centred and acknowledges the innate eagerness of the child to learn and acquire knowledge. It is a holistic approach to education which values all areas of the child’s development: physical, social, emotional and cognitive."

The first Montessori school was started in 1900 with 22 children. Maria Montessori aimed to observe and work with these children closely to see how they learn, interact, and experience their environment. Over 100 years later there are more than 20 000 Montessori schools worldwide.

Because not all Montessori schools are strictly Montessori in their teaching methods, it's important to highlight what makes a school truly authentic when it comes to Montessori principles and education.

Here are 6 traits of an authentic Montessori environment:

1. The staff all follow the same guidelines when it comes to discipline, personal behaviour, curriculum presentations, and embodying the Montessori philosophies.2. The environment is beautifully maintained, ordered, clean, and aimed to serve the child, not the adult.3. Activities on the shelves are age appropriate depending on the age of the children in the class.4. The activities gradually progress from concrete to more abstract teachings, beginning with sensorial materials.5. Authentic Montessori classrooms have an uninterrupted 3 hour work-cycle every day.6. The classes are divided as follows:- Nursery - ages 18 months to approximately 2 1/2 years- Pre-school - ages 2 1/2 years to 6 years- Junior Primary - ages 6 years to 9 years- Senior Primary - ages 9 years to 12 years

An authentic Montessori school is not just about academic achievements, its focus on emotional and spiritual development is paramount too. It aims to foster compassion, curiosity, self-motivation, respect, and independence alongside academic goals. Creating a sense of community amongst parents, teachers, and children is vital, and this "connectedness" is an important characteristic of a true Montessori school too.

"There is a great sense of community within the Montessori classroom, where children of differing ages work together in an atmosphere of cooperation rather than competitiveness. There is respect for the environment and for the individuals within it, which comes through experience of freedom within the community." - Maria Montessori

"Child-centered learning" has become a popular catch phrase over the last few years, but what does it really mean and how does it fit in with Montessori education? Simply put, child-centered learning means educating with the child's best interest in mind - your focus as an educator is not only on the child's development, but also on figuring out HOW the child learns.

Where traditional schooling relies on a teacher teaching a class as a whole, and teaching in a way that makes sense to the adult, child-centered learning and Montessori education relies on the child to teach the adult how to best develop their skills in a way that is suited to the child's natural way of learning. In a Montessori environment directresses are guided by each child's individual needs and interests. The curriculum is set, but when and how each activity is presented depends entirely on the developmental stage of the child and which teaching method will work best for that individual child. The goal of child-centered learning is to allow the child to become independent, responsible, and confident within themselves.

Maria Montessori explains this perfectly, "Scientific observation then has established that education is not what the teacher gives; education is a natural process spontaneously carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words but by experiences upon the environment."

Child-centered learning is just that. It is trusting the child's natural ability to learn within his/her environment when given the appropriate tools to succeed at mastering various skills, excelling academically, and reaching personal developmental milestones. A Montessori environment is set up in a way that supports the natural learning processes of children - it is not designed with the adult in mind. For example, in a Nursery classroom the tables and chairs are child-size and all activities are at eye-level for the child. As the child gets older, the environment becomes more and more geared towards supporting their independence and sense of responsibility.

"The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences."- Maria Montessori

As the adult is guided by the child, the child can be gently guided by the adult. Child-centered learning is all about seeing learning through the eyes of a child. It is about empathy, connection, and bringing out the best in each learner in the most effective way possible.

HBM’s Senior Management Team was incredibly privileged to attend the 2017 South African Montessori Association’s Annual conference in Gauteng in April. We grabbed the opportunity to bond as a team, and also re-connect with colleagues and friends, make new connections and put faces to names – we connect with so many people on-line that we hadn’t met face to face. The conference’s theme was “Our Story”. We got to attend a two-day workshop by keynote speaker, Michael Dorer as well!

Story-Telling workshopYes, Montessori isn’t about fantasy corners and dress-up but we are all about creativity and storytelling! The wonderful, warm and inspirational Michael Dorer spent two days talking us through his book: “The Deep Well of Time”. The teachers are now telling stories to the primary children – about the “Rebellious Pronoun” and “Archimedes and the Hollow Sphere”. The 6 to 12 year old is ALL about the imagination – how special to learn to use this to teach basic concepts of parts of speech and maths, among many!

Pre-school children also love to hear stories – theirs are geared at personal stories – true stories about the world and themselves. Be warned – they like to hear them over and over… and over again!

SAMAconThe following two days saw many new faces, as the conference started in earnest. We were invited to many different workshops and lectures. The overall messages for me became clear as I thought back on the two days on the plane home! Previous conferences have mostly been aimed at preschool topics – with the odd primary inspired talk. This year, I, as a primary Directress, got so much from many workshops. This is speaking to how Montessori Primary is growing in South Africa. Meeting so many other primary teachers and Principals of primary schools was heartwarming and so comforting – we are all walking the same path. We are just at different stages. The willingness to share, support and learn from one another was profound and deeply humbling.

The lectures I went to about Montessori High Schools were also inspiring. If Hout Bay Montessori is ever in a position to seriously explore this option, there is a wealth of expertise to turn to. Montessorians around South Africa are doing extraordinary things and the commitment to collaboration was clear! There is certainly talk of Montessori Primary Schools working together to develop a central high school – watch this space!

We meet so many frazzled parents that have had months (sometimes years) of forcing, whining, bribing or just plain threatening their children into completing their homework.

Alfie Kohn, in his book, The Homework Myth, advocates that there is no research that connects homework and academic success. In fact, it may even diminish interest in learning. “Homework is all pain and no gain,” says Kohn.

Hout Bay Montessori fully supports the “no homework” approach. Kerin Goosen, principal of the school and upper primary school teacher herself, says: “The notion of no homework may seem revolutionary, but in fact, Maria Montessori expressed her concerns in the early 1900’s already. Learning should be a joy, not a punishment.”

Goosen continues, “We are all for giving our families a choice of how to spend their time after school. This is an important time of the day too. We encourage our children to read daily and to practise maths or multiplication tables. No homework also allows children to play outside, have pen pals or be creative or help prepare supper. Hout Bay Montessori has been at the forefront of the “no homework” debate and would like to challenge parents and schools to engage in a constructive debate.”

For more information on our “no homework” approach as well as the Montessori method of education, please contact us at Hout Bay Montessori